TITLE: Title
Report from the Human Services Advisory Board of the 2019 Human Services Application Process
PURPOSE: The purpose of this item is to update the Board on the findings for the changes to application process in 2019 and the comments by the Human Services Advisory Board for the 2020 process.
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DEPARTMENT: Economic and Community Development
CONTACT INFORMATION: Annette Stone, AICP Economic and Community Development Director astone@townofcarrboro.org <mailto:astone@townofcarrboro.org> (919) 918-7319
INFORMATION: In October of 2018, the Board approved a pilot program for the Human Services funding process that had recently been adopted by Chapel Hill. The process included a revised shortened application, strategic priorities, and revisions to the application review process. The following are the comments of the Human Services Advisory Board (HSAB) for next year’s application process;
1. There was a consensus of the HSAB that they should hear presentations from all applicants, including those under $5000. The HSAB reasoned that even though the intention was to streamline the process for non-profits with small staffs, it is to the advantage of non-profits that may not have professional grant writing skills to be able to present and tell their stories of service to the community and help the HSAB with their understanding of the application. The HSAB did believe that a 15 minute meeting with the non-profits was overly burdensome for the non-profit.
2. The HSAB plans on meeting late summer to discuss and prepare for a joint meeting with the Chapel Hill Board and Orange County. The intention of the meeting would be to discuss clarifying questions on the application and suggestions for asking in ways that would better get at the questions most often asked by the HSAB for both Carrboro and Chapel Hill.
3. The HSAB committed to attending the annual orientations held by Chapel Hill and Carrboro staffs to assist with answering follow-up questions for non-profits.
4. Finally, the HSAB discussed race and equity training. HSAB appreciated the Board of Aldermen for beginning to comprehensively look at Town practices and policies that affect race and equity and urge the Board to provide training to HSAB and all town advisory boards on these issues. The HSAB also requested that the Town provide training opportunities before the next application funding cycle in January 2020. The HSAB recognizes the need to lift barriers to participating and serving on town advisory boards and encourage the Board of Aldermen to move forward with efforts to remove barriers.
The HSAB request for training in advance of the 2020 funding cycle is being reviewed by staff and opportunities for training are being sought out. Staff will return in the fall with follow-up on joint meetings between the Carrboro and Chapel Hill HSABs and any recommended changes to the Human Services funding process.
FISCAL & STAFF IMPACT: No additional fiscal or staff impact at this time.
RECOMMENDATION:r Staff recommends the Board receive the report.